In East Haven, Connecticut, a homeless man and his dog had taken refuge in his 24-year-old car near a shopping center when the car heater quit. Although he had blankets, he and his dog were still freezing – it had become one of the coldest nights of the winter, and the man needed helped.
According to Patch.com, the homeless man, Martin, called the East Haven police for help, and after the officer arrived and assessed the problem, called for an ambulance where Martin was taken to the local hospital for hypothermia evaluation.
And what about Martin’s dog? That’s when Officer Emily Higgins, the new East Haven Animal Control, left her home in the middle of the night to help the eight-year-old boxer named Roxie and bring her back to the shelter to keep her warm and safe until Martin would be released from the hospital.
When Martin was released, he went to the shelter to claim his dog and tried to find a place for a few nights as more record low temperatures were predicted. Sadly, none of the homeless shelters would accept a dog, and that’s when Officer Higgins became a true angel. It seems she had motel reward points she could use towards a room, and she paid for two nights at the Quality Inn for Martin and his dog.
Martin had adopted Roxie as a puppy, and the two have been inseparable. When Martin’s mother died, he tried to find housing, but there was a long wait list and years later, he was then told his application had been lost. He had been fortunate enough to find a place for the next three years, but then a new property owner purchased the building and told Martin he and his dog had to leave.
After a short succession of lost homes, his Social Security disability payments hasn’t been enough to rent anyplace, and so he and Roxie moved into the 1998 Dodge, and the heat no longer worked.
An angel from heaven helped me. Nothing has ever happened like this to me. No one ever, has done anything like this for me.
Martin
Officer Higgins stated she only did what she did because it was the “right thing to do.” She knew Martin was a good guy and that Roxie had been his first priority – even over his own needs.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Martin and Roxie. Click here to help.
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